You do not know that your favourite restaurant has actually chosen you by creating a concept that appeals to you on several levels when you decide where to go to eat out. Such is the value of restaurant design that, as a matter of practise, professional architects and interior designers are called in to advise restaurant owners, from fast food joints to setups of owner managers or the new deals from Michelin-starred chefs. It’s also the thinking behind the Restaurant Eton based The Christopher had in mind.
Every restaurant tells its story through its design, wherever an outlet sits on the luxury vs. speed of service spectrum, and we’re not only talking about nationality-based themes like Mexican or Thai outlets. What inspires and informs the design is the idea behind the restaurant so that consumers understand and interact with the brand without understanding that this phase is taking place. Restaurant owners need to make sure that the design balances adequate detail without turning into a pastiche to express the idea.
As well as looking wonderful and telling a storey, a restaurant’s design needs to take into account the practicalities of its service. If the restaurant for both clients and staff is not set out in a smooth flow, it will not be a success. Are the workers readily able to switch from the kitchen to the cold rooms? Without feeling like they are in the midst of a complicated gyratory scheme, will clients be served quickly? The design needs to look at every stage of its service in depth in order for a restaurant to run smoothly to prevent regrets later. In this equation, the food preparation and storage areas are just as important as the bar and seating areas.
